Photographer's Note

This is another bird of the corvidae (crow) family, the Hooded Crow (Corvus cornix) that is black and grey in colour. A similar bird is the Carrion Crow (Corvus corone). that is black in colour. The Hooded Crow is common in Sweden and and is breeds across the whole country. The Carrion Crow is more rare in Sweden. This photo is taken in the outskirts of Uppsala. The crow is sitting in the top of a Bird cherry tree (Prunus padus )that is a medium-sized tree in the family Rosaceae.

There are many proverbs and expressions about the crow. Swedish such proverbs or expressions are "Det smakar ändå fågel sa gumman och koka soppa på den stör där kråkan suttit" (It tastes bird anyway said the woman and made soup out of the stick where the crow sat). and if you are wasting your resources unessarily you say in Swedish "elda för kråkorna" (heating for the crows) Literally to light a fire in the fireplace, but just for the benefit of the crows sitting atop of the chimney.

There is actually a Swedish expression about bird cherry as well, "mellan hägg och syren", (between bird cherry and lilac) The expression is associated with a particularly enjoyable part of the year in Sweden when spring turns into summer, the period between flowering of bird cherry and flowering of lilac.

Same crow as our's, Ulf.
Took his portrait standing proud and neck upwards, prominently on the tree branchs.
Super clear view of every feather it has, and with good contrast to blue.
Fine shot, the cormorants will leave here in late March.
Happy new year, my friend,
Ike